I Corinthians 1:18 – “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
On April 13, 2020, an EF-3 tornado touched down in Seneca, SC. This storm destroyed homes and the BorgWarner manufacturing plant. One individual died and several people were injured, and Destiny Christian Center on Wells Highway was also affected by the storm. Fox Carolina News reported, “Monday morning’s tornado knocked a section of Destiny Christian Center to the ground, leaving a pile of bricks and debris. A cross sculpture that was on the roof of the church was knocked off during the storm, but the church’s pastor said it landed in front of the building, still standing.”
When destructive storms come into our land, the cross still stands. When evil men and women arise in leadership as pawns of Satan to bring destruction, the cross still stands. When adversity strikes our homes and families, the cross still stands. When we receive a bad diagnosis, the cross still stands. No matter what the enemy may bring our way, the cross still stands.
Jesus suffered inhumane treatment at the cross. Many see it as only an instrument of cruelty, but I believe it stands as a symbol of God’s unconditional love for humanity. God’s love was demonstrated at the cross. Romans 5:6-8 says, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The cross has a message to share with lost humanity. It is a message of hope. The cross stands today as an emblem of hope. The news is filled with hopelessness. Violence, crisis, and corruption dominate the headlines. In the midst of storms, in times of darkness, the cross still stands. It stands declaring a message of hope. The Apostle Paul wrote the encouraging words of Romans 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Beth Bailey writes, “Hope is confident trust with the expectation of fulfillment. Faith is the ground of our hope. Hope is the object of our faith. Hope is our ability to connect with God. Hope is the starting point, the incubator, for power, miracles, and the plans of the Lord. Hope is the expectation that causes things to suddenly change. Our level of hope affects the mind, mood, emotions, and health. How do you determine if you are operating in hope? The indicator is joy. If your disappointment is stronger than your joy then your hope is being challenged. We overcome disappointment by choosing to believe the promises of God.”
Jesus was operating in hope when He went to the cross. Hebrews 12:2 says, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The cross stands as an emblem of hope. Jeremiah 17:7 says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.”
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